Pink and Black A PitaTen fic
by OnixTales
Summary: Misha and another angel named Grace are given a new mission: Make a boy who is about to die in a month happy in an enviornment filled with violence and despair. Are the events going to pull Kotarou and Misha appart or not? Collab by OnixTales and Misha12.
1. Wounded

Disclaimer: I and OnixTales don't own Pita-ten

**Disclaimer: Misha12**** and OnixTales don't own Pita-ten.** We DO own the OC's which are: **Marco García, Victor Sativa** and all of background characters located in Tacubaya are property of **OnixTales**. **Grace** is property of **Misha12**. **Angel** is property of **Sk8erGrl-chan**.

Dear Reader: This is a story in which we do not treat Misha's comeback to Kotarou, but a another story that you might say is the events after two completely different fanfics: OnixTales's "The Night I Died" and Misha12's "Tsubasa Means Wings" and "Hello". Please refer to them if you want our explanation of the origins of Grace and how did Misha come back to Kotarou.

Without further ado, we begin this story.

**Pink and Black**

A Pita-Ten Fanfic.

A fanfic collaboration by: OnixTales and Misha12

_-If__ you are about to loose your life, prove worthy of it...-_

I-Wounded

Tacubaya, Mexico City.

A drowsy afternoon in the streets of Mexico City, just like any other March Afternoon settled. The busy streets crampling with cars, passersby and subway roads filled the atmosphere with filth. But it was no use complaining about it, since everyone had got already used to it. As the two-week holiday known as the Holy Week rushed, most of the workers were already pleading for a break and the students were already calling it quits. It was (and is) a much

awaited time of year, both for believers and nonbelievers. It is a time to spend with the family, party or go anywhere, just to get out of the ruckus of the great metropolis.

At High School no. 57, located just outside downtown, in the Tacubaya neighborhood; things weren't any different. The classrooms were bursting of restlessness, as for the Holy Week was still two weeks away. Everyone was willing to give up their life just to get out of the sock-smelling classroom, everyone but a gloomy and hunched figure in the back of classroom 13. The Holy Week for him had no special meaning or purpose for him: After all, he didn't had a family to spend it with, since his dad was agonizing on jail and his mother was always out with her friends; or place to go to, or friends to hang out with. In every way ever conceived, this boy was alone.

His name was Marco Garci­a. He was a tall 15-year old freshman, tanned, abundant jet-black hair, steely black eyes and always wore a brown jacket over his blue uniform shirt. He was always a little dirty from crossing a construction site to get to school. But the thing that distinguished him from the teeming teens was his pearly white scars streaking down his hands and face.

The scar on his face began on his forehead, crossed his left eye and finished in the middle of his left cheek, with a little branch. The scars on his hands ran down from his wrists to his hands, fingers and knuckles. 'Ring!' The teenage-humanity sea overflowed the outdoor halls of the school and headed towards the exit. Marco barely even noticed. He picked up his old leather bag **(1) **and calmly walked through the classroom door. _Friday_ He thought ironically. G_reat._ _I've got to go to the car wash and then well, that's just about it, apart from doing the poll about our family_. _Ha, FAMILY._ Marco crossed the big iron door and turned left. The street was deserted. _Odd._ Marco thought. _It should be flooded with students right now. _He stood still for a moment. Not a car horn sounded in the distance, nor he could hear the whisper of the leaves surrounding. It was this kind of silence that Marco liked; the only way his thoughts could thump his eardrum, but it was very odd it made him uneasy. _This is too fishy._ He thought.

"RUN!" Something called. Marco, caught unaware, turned to see what it had been. Again, he was alone. "RUN! FOR GOD'S SAKE, RUN!" He suddenly obeyed it, breaking off in a quick sprint. He had no idea why of from whom he was running, but one thing was for certain: He had to run.

Suddenly, a shot resounded into the distance. "GET HIM!" A voice shouted from behind him. Marco turned around. Three tattoo-covered **(2)** thugs were chasing after him, one with the smoking gun that had resounded just seconds ago, another one swinging a big chain, and the last one mustering a butcher knife. Marco suddenly was knocked down by another thug who had cut off his escape. They all grabbed him by his arms and legs, clenching him to stop struggling against them. The thugs threw Marco into an alley and left. Marco tried to stand up but was quickly thrown down by a person in front of him.

He looked up, trying to see through the blood sprouting from his forehead, and received another hit, this time in the eye. "You little bastard!" The person said. "I told if you refused to give me the answers to the stupid math test you would get a serious beating! What I'm supposed to tell my parents?! EH?! Alright, you sonuvabitch, time for daddy to spank the kid."

The person started to kick Marco, again and again and again as Marco bleed more and more, the person cackled more manically. "Ya stupid Victor." Marco panted "Why the Hell should I help you?"

"BECAUSE I SAID SO, ASS!" Victor shouted, enraged. He kicked Marco more, and more, and more. Marco felt a harder pain with each kick, he felt his life withering away, as every kick spurted him more and more blood.

As Victor got prepared to deliver his final and fatal kick, a blinding light flashed between the two of them. Marco rubbed his eyes with his mangled hands to see if he was hallucinating. At least the rubbing didn't do anything, since the light shone brighter and brighter. Victor, overwhelmed by an illogical fear and surprise, ran away.

For Marco, the light occupied the whole of his visual camp, and felt his consciousness fade away slowly, as his head touched the ground. But before he completely closed his eyes, he saw a glint of pink.

A few hours earlier in Heaven…

Grace stood, carefully and gracefully, in front of God. "_Angel Grace_," God spoke, "_I've heard from both Misha and Angel _**(3)**_that you've done your job well, in both keeping Kotarou-kun sustained and bringing Angel happiness in order to keep the scale balanced_." Grace took a deep bow, to show her respect for her creator and nodded her head. "_There's no reason to be formal, Angel Grace._"

Grace kept her head bowed. "I understand, my Lord in the highest, but I must show how much I respect the almighty Holy Spirit."

God chuckled. "_I see. I cannot overlook your splendid job-_"

"Please, my Lord," Grace lifted her head, her body still remained in her bowed position, "only your recognition is needed."

The Holy God continued. "_I said that I cannot overlook this and so, you have a new assignment."_ Grace immediately flew up straight. "_You're so eager, Angel Grace._"

"Anything that I may help with, I will, but why not another angel?" The angel with knee-length pink hair and sliver, rosy eyes inquired.

God seemed to smile. "_I feel you, Angel Grace, may be one of the two angels that might be able to accomplish this job._"

Grace moved her hands as if she was giving God her heart. "But…the other angel?"

"_The other angel is Angel Misha, but I asked her and she refused._" God appeared to be slightly upset.

"Why in Heaven's light would she do a thing like that?!" Grace had clearly forgotten her ideal appearance, to seem as if she was one of the more refined angels.

God laughed. "_Angel Misha turned down her assignment in order to stay by Kotarou-kun's side._"

Grace thought; she needed a moment to mull things over in her head. "…That's just like her…" She groaned as God chuckled once more. "May I inquire to what the job is?"

"_Yes, your next assignment is to make this boy, Marco, in Mexico City, happy_. _I must stress this might not be an easy feat._" God spoke as Grace's wings stopped flapping and caused her to fall.

"OOF! Oh, I forgot it wouldn't hurt. Thank you, Lord, for creating clouds." Grace thanked God and stood up again. "I will accept this job, and succeed." Right before Grace flew away; she stopped and asked yet another question. "Lord in the highest, is there a time limit?"

"_Oh, yes, I nearly forgot about that. You are to make him happy before he dies._" God put this in such a pleasant way, it sounded like he was already dead!

"Um, n-no offence, but," She rubbed the back of her head, "when is this kid gonna die?"

"I'm afraid that he'll be dead in a few months." The Lord spoke and motioned for Grace to start her job. "Go, Angel Grace, I'll be watching._ And remember, ifyou are abouttolooseyourlife, thenproveworthyofit."_

'…_If you are about to loose your life…' _Grace repeated in her head. _Sometimes, God subtly freaks me out. _With her deep bow, Grace departed to Japan, to tell Misha her news. "Yes, my almighty Holy Spirit, I shall take my leave."

Tokyo, Japan. Kotarou and Misha's School.

Kotarou was staring blankly out the window, again, while Misha was making her way up to Kotarou's classroom from the outside. Another math question was answered and Misha appeared. "Hiya, Kotarou-kuns, su!" She smiled her signature grin.

"Misha!" He stood up and helped her into the classroom.

The teacher turned and sighed. "Off to your class, Misha-san."

"Oh, sorry, worrys, su." She giggled. "I'll be off, den! SU!" Right before Misha was out the window; Grace appeared, translucent, so that only Misha and Kotarou could see her. "Unyah! Gracy wace!" Misha ran over to the wall. "Hiya, su! Wat's uppy?" She smiled.

"Misha…You and Kotarou-kun are the only two that can see me. Right now, you look like a retard." Grace spat. "Oh and why didn't you take that job?!"

"Unyah? …Mexicos?" Misha stared blankly.

"Yeah, Mexico. That kid is gonna die soon and you didn't want to make him happy?" Grace pointed her hands in all directions.

Misha pointed towards Kotarou. "Nuh uh, Kotarou-kun needs me more. Besides, I know you can do it, Gracy, su." She smiled.

This caused the translucent angel to smile. "Alright, HEY!" Grace shouted at Kotarou. "Yeah, purple-top, I'm talkin' to ya! You're lucky that Misha is staying by your side instead of taking God's assignment that was bestowed on her!"

"…What?" Kotarou asked, and stared blankly as well.

Grace sighed. "Nevermind, I'm already due in Mexico. Maybe Misha can explain it to you. Bye, girl. See ya, squirt." She winked and disappeared.

"Um, Kotarou-san, Misha-san, do you two need to go to the clinic?" The teacher asked hesitantly. Kotarou and Misha shook their heads quickly and continued class.

The skies above Tacubaya, MexicoCity.

Grace took her time flying to Mexico, she stopped and examined a few countries and states along the way and rested on her favorite cloud areas. _I really shouldn't slack off, but a job is so difficult and this one sounds impossible! Misha was able to take care of some kid's happiness in less than a year, but me? Oh, ho, I cannot do as well! AND I ONLY HAVE A FEW MONTHS!_ Grace stared down at Mexico and sighed. "Which is why I should go and start now. But first," She lay back again and flipped out a keyboard with a screen that appeared out of thin air, "let's check on my client."

Grace inspected the area around Marco and noticed that there were bullies with weapons! "Oh, Mon Dieu…" **(4) **She waited to see what Marco would do. "…He's not doing anything…" Worry started to well up inside of Grace. "RUN!" She shouted at the screen, but Marco only glanced around. _I DIDN'T SAY STOP! _"RUN! FOR GOD'S SAKE, RUN!" Marco ran and he ran FAST! Grace stared, dumbfounded. "…He really did run. Crap! They're catching up!" She watched the torture begin and couldn't bear it. "ARGH!" Grace yelled, overwhelmed by the human nature, and slammed her keyboard into the cloud.

It disappeared. "I CAN'T STAND THIS!" She dove into the atmosphere and conjured up her holy power and created a booming light, of course, it was a light shade of pink. Grace glanced around; her client was there in front of her, unconscious. The bullies had run off. She sighed. "At least I was able to save him before he actually died. I'd hate to explain something like _that_ to God." Grace bent down, her angel wings diminished and her heavenly clothes turned to a pastel pink tee-shirt and jeans. She placed her hand on his head and rubbed it._ Sorry, kid. I'm really sorry about my stupid little break. _"I'm a sucky angel."

Grace looked over her new client and noticed his scars. "Geez, kid, what _have_ you been doing?" She glanced in the direction the thugs ran off. "I suppose maybe they did it, huh?" Grace stared back at Marco. _You know…despite the scars…you're kind of cute._ She smiled. "Well," She stood up and attempted to carry Marco while flying, "I suppose it's time for me to find an apartment around here and maybe bribe your principle to let me transfer into your school." She smirked. "That'll be simple." _I'll use either magic…or my little bag of tortures._ Grace's smirk turned into a smile as she flew off, high into the sky.

High she did intend to fly, but Marco was too heavy for her. _For a slim guy, he's really heavy_. _I'll just have to do lifting spell and a chameleon spell on him. I'd hate explaining God how fifteen hundred people saw a guy floating unconsciously in midair._ So she did. As Grace flew freely across the skies of her "ground zero", she could see the environment she was to work on: It was a sloppy, deteriorated neighborhood; that had signs that it was great and blooming with activity in a faraway time. The windows of the dingy apartment buildings that piled one over the other over the other had prison-like bars on them, entrapping its inhabitants in a false sense of security.

Graffiti made a tapestry to red brick and asphalt walls, preceded with narrow streets covered of mud holes and smelly sewers. She could see the rooftops, coveted with pigeon poop and clothes put to the sun to dry, as well as massive publicity signs that were as big as the building beneath them. On the streets, the invading flea markets that sold counterfeit goods, pirated records and home-made pornographic movies burst the air with high volume 'Banda' music that distorted the air and started to annoy Grace. The people that had beat Marco to death were smoking pot in a corner, whistling at passerby girls and making sexual remarks at them. Grace's eye twitched in disgust. "H-how the-WHAT THE HELL!? Those bastards!" She saw an extremely immature gesture that came from Victor. "Oh, they are SO not going to Heaven, now. Not if _I_ have anything to say about it!" Grace mumbled more cusses and shot more grimaces in the thugs' direction, even if they couldn't see her.

The buildings surrounding her looked as if they could collapse with a cough. The place was indeed sad and hopeless. This was the neighborhood of Tacubaya. Good Lord on high, I'd never dreamed of doing anything in Mexico. I wouldn't mind France, but Mexico. This looks like a dangerous area, hence my client's scars. I'll have to land sometime… "I guess I'll be on my way." Grace muttered, as she flew gently towards a very deteriorated building which Marco's name tag implied it was his home.

**(1): It had been with him through all elementary.**

**(2): OO …I do not want to imagine that. Btw, OnixTales wrote the first part of the chapter. I wrote the second part. Aside from that, Onix, how the Hell did this kid get a gun!?**

**OnixTales: THEY DON'T HAVE TO BE KIDS. They are average drug-dealing**** thugs.**

**M-12: Oops, mymistake…sorry. ;**

**(3): Angel is Sk8erGrl-chan's OC not mine, Angel starred in my fic Tsubasa Means Wings.**

**(4): Mon dieu means My God on French. ****XP**


	2. A memory's eclipse and shinning

**Disclaimer: Misha12 and OnixTales don't own Pita-ten.** We DO own the OC's which are: **Marco García, Victor Sativa** and all of background characters located in Tacubaya are property of **OnixTales**.**Disclaimer: Misha12 and OnixTales don't own Pita-ten.** We DO own the OC's which are: **Marco García, Victor Sativa** and all of background characters located in Tacubaya are property of **OnixTales**.

* * *

II - A memory's eclipse and shining

Tokyo, Japan.

Not a word. From the short trip on foot from school to the apartment building where Kotarou and Misha lived, Kotarou didn't say a thing. Even the resounding of the traffic just blocks away didn't fill the silence that Misha felt, it was a cold silence. Usually, Misha would hug Kotarou and he would rant loudly about it. But, this time, Kotarou just shrugged Misha away violently. He was indeed angry.

As soon as both of them reached their respective doors, Kotarou hesitated for a moment as he picked the doorknob. "Did you really ditch your work for me, Misha-san?" Kotarou muttered. "Huh?" Misha answered. "What are you talking about?". "Back in school, Grace-san said she had to go somewhere, because you didn't want you, right?" Kotarou asked in a calm-rage manner. "Yes, I wanted to be with you-su!" Misha answered brightly.

Kotarou couldn't contain himself; he bashed his fist on to the wall with a sickening sound of cracking bones and shouted "YOU WENT FOR SO MUCH FOR BEING AN ANGEL AND NOW THAT YOU ARE ONE, YOU DITCH YOUR WORK?! YOU HAD A DREAM AND NOW YOU ARE TURNING YOUR BACK ON IT?!" Kotarou drew back his fist, red and purple form the wound. Nonetheless to say, Misha was utterly shocked at Kotarou's words, she froze as Kotarou walked up to her and took her pearly white hand.

"Please," Kotarou said, looking up to the shuddering pink-haired angel standing still before him. "you know what is going to happen if you are not an angel anymore, right? You do. Do this assignment, please. I can come with you if you want to, but please do not make it harder for you that it already is." Kotarou took the tear that Misha was hiding and said. "Sorry, Misha-san."

Kotarou opened his door and slammed it shut. Inside, Kotarou held his hand in pain. That fit of rage had cost him a little fracture, as his knuckles turned an angry purple. He went to the bathroom and got the first aid kit. He opened it and was struck by the lack of band-aids. He remembered all too well why that was: When Kotarou and Misha first met, she wanted to cut the vegetables for his dinner and, as Misha didn't know how to use a knife, cut herself many times. Kotarou stood still, ignoring his hand in pain, staring at the metallic box.

Suddenly, a voice came from behind "Seems like you did hurt yourself, ne-su?" Kotarou turned around and saw Misha standing in a white and rather transparent angelic gown. Kotarou's first reaction was embarrassment "P-put some decent clothes on, Misha-san!" She simply smiled and happily said. "Dats the Kotarou-kuns I know-su. Are you all right now-su?"

"Yes, but why the gown. It's your angel outfit isn't it?" Kotarou asked. "Well," Misha answered, "didn't you say you'd accompany me-su? Get your things-su! We're leaving now-su!"

Tacubaya. Mexico City.

_Why do I feel so peaceful?_ Marco pondered. _It's like chocolate, but way better._ Reality didn't took much to kick in, since Marco woke up that very instant. _Home, I was in home all along…_ He was in his room, a little 2 by 3 bedroom with a closet and a little wooden desk. That was it.

The first thing that Marco felt was a brief pain in his eye. He turned to the reflection on the window to see: Nothing. Just the same scars he got from long ago fights. _FIGHTS_. Marco remembered the thugs, Victor, the beating, the pain… the voice that had told him to run. He wasn't scrambled on the floor, bleeding, like he was supposed to. He was in bed, with no wounds. A final memory flashed by. The blinding light and the glint of pink. _What was that?_ Marco thought. _Nah, just my imagination, I don't remember much of it anyway._ He simply dismissed it as a figment of his imagination and picked up his backpack from the floor, opened his math book and began looking for the homework…

Grace stared for a moment to the keys of her new home. Then she looked to the door next to hers. She perfectly knew that was her client's door. He was probably awakened by now, it would take a while for him to recover from the beating he had received. _Stupid thugs, if I ever run into them again, I'LL MURDER THEM! …Said the perfect angel. _Grace held her keys tightly and slid the key in the lock, _I'm getting through with this, no matter what!_ She thought happily, but first thing's first, get into the apartment: The lock didn't work. She yanked it as much as she could but, no result came from that. "Perfect. I suppose I should've expected less."

Grace looked again at the boy's door. "I need help from Marco." She mumbled to herself, stood in front of Marco's apartment door, rested her hand on the door knob, but stopped. "Shoot, he doesn't know who the Hell I am. This is just perfect. Then-then, I'll have to sleep outside! I DON'T WANT TO!" Grace shouted into the sky.

Inside, Marco heard some girl shout something rather selfish. "Who is _that_? The fighting couple upstairs doesn't start until an hour from now!" He dropped his pencil and went to answer the door.

Grace, on the other hand, was yelling to the heavens about her situation. "WHAT IS YOUR DEAL, GOD!? I WORK MY BUTT OFF FOR YOU AND YOU GET MY DOOR STUCK!" She was obviously aggravated. Suddenly, the door slammed open. "EE! Oh, er, did I disturb you?" _This is very awkward._

"Let me assure you, someone else will tear this building apart by coughing. Until then, please DO NOT try and do it right now." Marco growled, his wonderful mood from before disappeared into thin air.

"B-but, my door is stuck. I put the key in the keyhole and tried to turn it." Grace pointed to her door and the stuck key. Marco sighed, walked over to Grace's door, yanked the key out, slammed it in, twisted it, and kicked the door open. He then, stepped aside and gave Grace a faint glare of despise. "T-thank you, Mar-I mean-new neighbor. My name is Grace. What's yours?"

"Garcia's the name. Marco Garcia." He crossed his arms. "What brings you to Mexico? Surely not modeling, at least not here." Marco looked Grace up and down. "You obviously have no idea how to dress. Hmm, small jeans, snug tee-shirt, flip-flops, you'll be eaten alive if you dare go out on these."

"N-nice to know…" Grace stuttered and stared at Marco. _I save this kid, and he's so, so, ARGH! If I weren't so damn nice, I'd kill him myself! He's so rude!_ "May I ask who the people that will eat are?"

Marco scoffed. He pointed to the scar that glinted pearly white in his face and said calmly "Do you see this? Is this the kind of question you'd be asking, girl?!"

_No duh. _Grace nodded slowly. "I-I mean the names and what they look like." Marco didn't say a word. "Please?" No word. "Augh..." Grace sighed. "I'm trying to help you, you ungrateful, little…" She muttered and her voice trailed off.

_Help me?!_ Marco thought. _Help from YOU is the least I'd expect! _He stared at Grace, up and down again. "Girl, I doubt you can help yourself."

Grace's shy expression morphed to an angry glare. "How dare you!? I come here, trying to make you happy before you die, and here you are, saying I can't help myself!? Having thugs beat you up over a silly thing like a failed math test is-is-is just stupid! You get beaten up very often! I know, I've watched! Finally, somebody turned to you and it was me! I helped! I CANNOT BELIEVE YOU'D JUST STAND THERE LIKE AN IDIOT! In this town, I'm surprised that you would have to hesitate when someone says 'RUN'! Ain't that right, Mr. Streetsmart!?" Marco stared blankly at Grace and she covered her mouth quickly. "S-shoot. Well, I'll see ya later, Marco!" She started to run into her apartment.

Marco took her by the wrist and yanked her back. "HOW DIDJA…"

Grace shook her hand free and pouted "Yeah, I saw everything. I was even the one who carried you home and you still treat me like crap!?"

Grace started to run back but Marco gripped again her hand, this time more tightly. "Ok, girl. I'm going to need a pretty good explanation about how do you know about it. Otherwise I will have to assume that either you made this up or you were one of THEM."

_Humans, no faith whatsoever. They always want proof of everything before them, 'specially this kid!_ "Maybe if you'd let me go, I'd be able to." Marco let go. In that precise instant, Grace shone a bright light that dazzled Marco for a few moments. Then he saw her: Spread white wings, pearly white skin, bare feet, white gown, two rays of light coming from her forehead, pink hair. An angel all right. But, as we would all react if we were suddenly struck with that sight, Marco stared at Grace blankly. Marco felt a horrible sensation. He wasn't supposed to feel terrified, yet he was. He tried to run away, but met the weak armrest that separated the first floor from the ground below.

Marco fell backwards into the chasm, screaming. _SHIT! My client is going to kick the bucket in front of me!_ Grace thought. But Marco's fall was short, since they were only one floor apart from the ground. Grace ran to the edge of the floor and looked down, fearing the worst. Marco was sprawled on the floor, with the rests of the armrest behind them, completely destroyed. "Ow." Marco growled. Grace floated towards him and said softly "You okay?" Marco simply stared and Grace, speechless. Grace let down a tear and slapped Marco. "ANSWER ME!" she shouted.

Marco grinned and said "See? You shout like that and this crappy building will come down." Marco looked up and said. "Seems like there is no other choice for me but to believe you, girl. An angel, huh?" He chuckled. "Now, why would an angel end here, the gates of Hell itself?"

_I can't tell him he's gonna die soon! What should I tell him?_ Grace thought in panic. "I've been in worse places." Grace muttered to herself. _Like the ACTUAL gates of Hell._

Marco staggered to stand up and limped towards the stairs. _Wow, girl. You sure are unlucky_. He thought, but as Marco reached the first step, his injured leg began to feel better by the second. In space of two seconds, Marco's leg didn't hurt anymore. He turned to Grace, who was in her previous clothes. "My leg…" he murmured "That was you?"

Grace made a sarcastic smirk and said "Nooooo, the step was soft, moron."

Marco opened his hand: He had been holding Grace's keys all of this time. "Think quick." he shouted. Grace caught her keys and looked up to Marco. "You know how, girl. Now, get in."

"Don't call me GIRL." Grace pouted. "My name is Grace."

"Ok, Grace." Marco smiled.

_The next day, High School no. 57…_

_Another day, another migraine. _Marco thought as he sat sprawled in his faraway bench, bored to tears. Classes in High School no.57 were irregular, since the Teacher's Syndicate was on strike nearly every week, going to school was basically just checking on the attendance list. Marco thought that he should learn what he could while this happened, so always he opened his textbooks and learnt from them while around him, mayhem ensued. And when the teacher DID give class, he usually just absorbed the information without actually listening, but the one time he paid attention was when a new student walked through the door announced by the caretaker, Adolfo.

Then, she walked in the classroom. Everyone just stared at Grace as she walked lightly to the front of the room. She even seemed to float a millimeter or two from the ground. _Wow,_ Marco pondered, _I never really put attention to her since that time. Now come the think of it, she's beautiful!_ "Hi, everyone, my name is Grace Aeres. I'm new here, so I hope I'll get to know you." _And I hope not to die, or get 'eaten', before my client is_, Grace added deep inside her mind_._ Grace only glanced around as she walked up between the seated teens.

As she walked, Grace noticed some of the girls were talking furiously in hushed voices, criticizing her. Victor and his junkies were up ahead. Grace tried not to look at them with a furious glare, but she did notice that Victor winked at her. _Not a chance, you junkie bastard. _Grace merely glanced at him. Marco was merely staring at her, and for some reason, she found that pleasant. Grace found a perfect empty seat next to Marco. "Hey." She whispered. "I've never been in a place like this before, but as I said, I _have_ seen worse."

Marco tried to talk to her straight in the eye, but he couldn't. Later he would tell this as the first time he felt 'butterflies in his stomach'. "Grace, you're going to get me killed." Marco whispered. Grace shrugged. "Not if I'm watching you."

Grace's lack of streetsmart struck Marco like a fresh fish out of the water. He turned to Grace and whispered angrily. "Grace…think...we cannot possibly have all of our classes together. Besides, you still attract way too much attention, even in that crappy uniform. May I remind you what happens if you attract attention?" Marco pointed to the scar in his face. "I'm basically your everyday walking encyclopedia."

Marco sighed. He was right about Grace. The uniform for girls consisted in a dead gray vest with a heavy gray jacket with red and blue stripes, a very long skirt and high white stocking socks with bulky black shoes. Grace, naturally angelic, could even make those hideous clothes look good. The uniform for men was pretty much the same, except of the skirt. Men wore shabby gray-white trousers.

"And please, tell me you don't really want to sit next to me all day. We don't change classrooms, y'know." He added.

Grace winked at him. "Sorry, I can't say that." Marco groaned and Grace giggled.

"I'm sorry darlin', have we met before?" A stingy voice called. Adolfo had left the room, and the class was a mayhem once more. Victor was standing between seated Marco and Grace smirking towards Grace.

"If you are trying to look cool," Grace pouted, "you are so not doing it."

Victor's smirk quickly faded to a friendly glare and said softly "We'll see about that. Consider yourself mine, bitch." Victor turned to Marco and whispered "You can't have her. You can't even protect yourself from me." He walked away, his entourage of thugs close behind him.

Marco looked down, feeling sad. Even though Victor's words were stingy, they did not stray far from the truth. "He's right y'know." Marco said.

"About what?" asked Grace.

"I can't take care of myself. If you hadn't showed up, he would've…" Marco let his voice fade away. "That's why it's not good that you stay here, either you become Victor's latest acquisition or… you get hurt. Not only here…" He pointed to his hands which was also covered in scars around his knuckles. Then he pointed his chest. "But also here… Victor is part of a gang which is huge. It's called a cartel. The Sativa Cartel put my father in jail."

Grace's face looked pained. "Marco…" She was about to place her hand on his shoulder, but didn't; she really would get him killed. "My father didn't always had enough money to look out for me and my mother. He started to get into dirty business with the Sativas, and that was last I saw of him. sigh Next thing I knew, he was in the penitentiary for drugs. I had to go and tell the cops I was his son." Grace tried to fit everything into a mind that only knew the warmness of heaven. Her pained expression morphed to an angry growl. "No one calls the top angel Grace a bitch." Grace stood up at light speed and tried to walk up to Victor, but Marco held on to her and forced her down in her seat. Grace glared at him furiously. Marco wasn't joking about Victor, his expression and his aura simply stank of fear.

"Grace, what do you think you're doing?" Marco yelled in a hushed voice.

"Giving him a kick in the-"

"Grace! Remember what happens when you mess with Victor! I JUST TOLD YOU! I don't want you to get it! I barely know you, but I can't let you do something stupid." Marco tried again and again to get Grace to listen to him, but she was too infuriated. "He's not worth it." This was so quiet even Grace strained to hear it. But alas, she still struggled to break free of Marco's grip, a very tight grip. "Grace, YOU IGNORANT PAMPERED GIRL! WHY DO YOU THINK I KEEP TELLING YOU WHAT'S GOING ON HERE!? EH?! I WANT YOU TO STAY IN ONE PIECE!! GOT IT!!" Marco rambled furiously. With much thought and mental curses, Grace regrettably sat down.

After a long pause, she spoke. "You can protect yourself." Marco glanced at her in disbelief. "Don't listen to Victor."

Marco smirked and mouthed. "Hypocrite, you know better than that." He quickly turned his head away when Grace glared at him.

Her glare softened. "You're disappointed."

Marco turned to face Grace. "Huh?"

"I'm not one of those angels from books that humans wrote. You're still not believing in me" She sighed and looked sad.

"B-but, Grace, those angels aren't like… you… I mean…. You look stunning, but… ." His eye twitched as he shivered.

"You're disappointed. You want to see a Michelangelo nude, right?" Grace became dejected.

"What!? No, I'm not perverted!" Marco glanced around the room; few people were staring at him. He quieted down. "Grace, I'm glad _you_ came, OK? Or… at least, somebody came for me."

"Misha would have been perfect for this job!" She stood up, clearly upset. "I _am_ a time bomb! You need a ditzy, pretty, happy person to look after you! AND THAT'S MISHA!"

"Grace, please, shut up! I'm not mad or disappointed! I don't need a Misha! I don't know what a Misha is! Stop getting it wrong!" Marco stood up and tried to keep Grace quiet.

By now, the whole class fell into a sepulchral silence, hearing the intercourse of Marco and Grace after her yell. Thankfully, they didn't hear what came before.

Grace's eyes were watery when she glanced at Marco. "You're yelling at me, now! You said you weren't mad!" Marco returned a glare and said "Mark my words… I am now…"


	3. Carpe Diem

**Disclaimer: Misha12 and OnixTales don't own Pita-ten.** We DO own the OC's which are: **Marco García, Victor Sativa** and all of background characters located in Tacubaya are property of **OnixTales**.

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III – Carpe Diem

_Tokyo, Japan. __21 days after Grace's arrival._

Until now, no one had noticed the absence of Kotarou Higuchi. Not even his friends Koboshi, Ten and Dai. After all, Kotarou had been fading gradually into a spec of a déja vù that spun off locked memories. For Kotarou, the eclipse of memories had passed to a bright shinning. But for the people around him, only the light of a slight remembrance still endured. This had been happening for a month.

Still morning before classes begin, Koboshi was seated on her desk with Ten reading dutifully on bench, doing hurriedly the last bit of homework. Koboshi, erasing furiously a wrong answer, suddenly broke her pencil in two. _Drat,_ she thought, _might as well as Kotarou-chan for an eraser._ She turned to see the empty seat. "Ten-chan," Koboshi asked Ten. "D'you know where Kotarou is?" Koboshi then stared into the void. The name resounded in her skull, but no face appeared. The face of the boy was gone from her memory, only slight images faded into her subconscious, specially a particular one regarding an apple pie. **(1)**

Ten suddenly closed his book loudly and, surprised, turned to see the same sight of Koboshi's. Ten blinked many times and said. "Come the think of it, no. He's been absent for quite a while, don't ya think Uematsu?" Koboshi felt a sudden prick of panic, as revolving came to her. Koboshi finally remembered the purple-headed kid; also she remembered the pink figure always clinging to him. _Misha… _The sole remembrance of the name gave her new shudders.

Everything came back: The boy, the obnoxious pink-haired girl, the apple pie… everything. Then she noticed: Misha hadn't been present in their windowsill either. _Maybe, maybe…_ Koboshi started panicking._ Misha took Kotarou away! Maybe they're somewhere out of Tokyo… K-k-k-ki-ki-ki… _

"Kotarou's making out with Misha, for sure." Ten finished Koboshi's thought. Koboshi let out a high-pitched wail and started rambling through her desk. "I REFUSE TO BELIEVE THAT!" Koboshi shouted in her tantrum.

"Look," Said Ten. "Why don't we stop by Kotarou's place together? Maybe he's very sick, and hasn't had time to call for catching up." _Weird,_ Ten thought. _We should have noticed Kotarou's absence by the day after he was absent to school._ But as the day progressed, Ten and Koboshi forgot about their plans to go and see Kotarou. He wasn't mentioned on the attendance list either. Kotarou Higuchi seemed to have faded into oblivion.

But he didn't. Kotarou showed up the next day. For some reason, he was taken out of the attendance list with a paperwork mess-up in the school's system. That morning, Kotarou went to his usual seat and, as always; didn't talk to anybody except his long-time friends. He wouldn't mention his monthly absence to anybody since it was useless: Nobody had noticed. The greetings and days seemed to be the same as always… they weren't.

Koboshi noticed that her crush was spacing out more than usual during lunches and classes, and he also started skipping classes too often in the following days. And when Koboshi could see where he was going, Misha was close. Kotarou had changed, and Koboshi suspected he was giving in to her. She was (as the reader might guess), deeply jealous. In part, he was giving in… For all the wrong reasons his friend supposed.

Every time she tried to haul out information he would answer "… _If you are about to loose your life, prove worthy of it… _that's why, seize the day while it is day, Koboshi-chan."

_Tokyo Japan, 17 days earlier._

"So from now on, I am nobody, right?" Kotarou asked, gazing at the empty school building that shone crimson with the evening sun. "The memories everybody has of me from now on are..?"

"Locked away-su!" Misha answered happily. "But don't worry, as soon as I'm done you'll come back here to Tokyo and everything will be normal-su!"

Kotarou turned to Misha. She was still wearing her floaty angel gown. Though a little revealing, it suited her perfectly. He had been holding a suitcase with some clothes, toothbrush and paste and a peculiar bunny Misha begged him to carry with him.

"Ok, Kotarou-kun," Misha announced. "I need you to hug me-su!"

Kotarou instantly blushed. "WHAT?! I'm not doing it!" He bellowed. "Then I can't transport you-su." He hesitated for a moment. He had been avoiding this kind of contact ever since he had met her, but deep down… he knew he wanted to that and more. Misha was starting to look disappointed when Kotarou ran and hugged her tightly. "Quick!" he shouted. Misha smiled back and spread out her wings. A warm sensation engulfed Kotarou's body, a sensation he never experienced before.

A blinding light surrounded them as they faded away like the memories of his friends. Slowly, Kotarou and Misha faded into the darkness of oblivion.

_Tacubaya, Mexico City._

_Still nothing…_ Grace thought, as she locked the door of her apartment. Ever since Grace had her tantrum, Marco was icy to her. She was failing her assignment and, worst of all, she knew it. Grace moaned as she threw her backpack onto the floor and collapsed in her chair. "Ugh… This sucks. I wish I never was a stupid, pampered angel. They're nothing but trouble!" She lay down and stared at the ceiling.

"Hmmm… Going back in time sounds like a real treat right now." Grace sighed and turned over so she was on her side. The angel immediately sat up. "I'll go over and apologize." Grace walked all the way to the door and rested her hand on the door knob to pause and think. "…Crap…What if he doesn't let me in!?"

She bit her bottom lip, engulfed on worry. "OOOOH! Why is Marco so mean!?" Grace sighed. "Well, I was a pretty crappy angel. I suppose he has a right to be angry with me. I mean, it's like I shouted out 'Marco is a perv' in front of the entire class… But I didn't! I really didn't mean for it to sound like that! AUGH! Now, it sounds like I actually meant to expose Marco as some weird person. Though he already has that reputation… And so have I!"

The confused angel bent down on her knees. "I'M LOST!" She shouted to her ceiling. "Lord, I'm lost; help me… I-I want to apologize to Marco, but he'd sooner slam the door in my face than listen to what I have to say." Grace wiped a tear from her eye. "I'm a sucky angel. I made my client hate me my first day on the job. Now he'll never be happy before he dies."

She wallowed in self-pity for a few more minutes, before sucking in her gut and charging out the door. _Okay, I'm an insane, pampered, self-centered angel, but this insane, pampered, self-centered angel is going to make it up! _Grace slammed her door shut, marched over to Marco's door, and nearly kicked it down.

"MARCO!" She yelled. "MARCO, I KNOW YOU'RE IN THERE! COME OUT!" A guy opened their door at the end of the hall and yelled at Grace to shut up. Behind that person was a woman with her hands covering her face, flustering and asking for mercy and pardon: He had had an awful day and decided to take it on her. Grace however, didn't notice this and stared to him. She shouted "Oh, yeah, Buddy? Well, shove it up your back pipe!" She waved her hand. "Crawl back into your hole, Dumb Bunny!"

The person stared at her. Grace placed her hands on her hips and swung back and forth. "Well, SOR-RY, I don't happen to have _nice_ insults to give out at this time!"

Grace huffed. "That ought to teach anyone to mess with the top angel Grace. All right," She started to bang on Marco's door, "OPEN UP, MISTER! WE NEED TO TALK!"

Marco swinged his door open and growled "One more scream of yours I swear I'll be the one to shut YOU up. Didn't I made myself clear NOT TO SHOUT?! You don't really care about me or the people living in this building now do you?" Grace noticed Marco staggering to stand up. As he tried to close his door again, his leg fell on it's own weight and Marco fell to ground. Marco tried to stand up, but he couldn't. Grace watched him struggle to get on his feet again. For one second, she actually enjoyed watching Marco's suffering. _What in heaven am I doing!? I'm supposed to help this guy out!_ She thought.

Grace helped Marco to get up. He wanted to stay out of Grace's grasp, but he could not stand on his own. Grace dragged him all the way to his bed and tried to get him up. "It's OK, I can do that part myself". Grace pulled off his pant leg to discover Marco's source of pain: The fracture that Grace had healed had reappeared, turning Marco's flesh violet and black from the internal bleeding and the dead tissue. Grace grimaced at this sight, while Marco sighed "So it's there again…" he whispered uncomfortably.

"How can it be there when I healed it three days ago!" She shouted. "Maybe… you got mad at me, and that undid the magic…" "That maybe, but magic or not magic IT REAALLY HURTS!" Marco pouted. Grace flicked her fingers and the pain disappeared instantaneously. Marco opened his mouth, but hesitated. "Thanks…" he mumbled. "I'm really glad that you care about me, even I yelled at you. Thanks, Grace."

Grace felt something strange: It was like all of the emotions she could feel were encapsuled and compressed on a nutshell and then exploded rapturously. She felt angry, happy and sad at the same time. Grace closed her eyes for a moment, then slapped Marco. Of course, he didn't expect this to happen, and fell to the ground with a loud thud. Marco looked, bewildered, in her eyes; trying to decipher what she just did. Grace bent down and gave Marco a kiss on the cheek. She had turned bright red "THERE!" she shouted in embarrassment. Then she proceeded to storm out of the apartment.

More bewildered than before, Marco placed his hand on the cheek Grace had kissed. He closed his eyes and let go a faint smile… He was, for a split-second, happy.

_The next day…_

The feelings between Marco and Grace were sketchy, considering the mood swings of the day before, but the two still walked together to school, same as the few days after the two of them met. The walk to school was quiet, but not quite. Each had been glancing at the other, and each had caught each other doing it, always ending in crimson cheeks. Finally, Grace spoke. "M-Marco?"

He quickly turned his head to Grace, inwardly happy that a noise had broken the awkward silence. "Yeah?"

Grace broke the eye lock they each shared to make her question easier. "I was thinking… that um…"

"…Yes?" Marco stopped and gave Grace his undivided attention.

"W-well…" She stuttered. "D-did yesterday actually happen?" Grace blurted out breathlessly.

Marco looked forward and began to walk again. "Maybe it did… Maybe it didn't."

_Oh, no! Now, he's mad at me again!_ Grace sighed and began to walk alongside him. The long silence began again. The angel tried to see Marco's expression, but whenever she came close; his head turned the other way. _Oh… I'm a really sucky angel!!_ She hit her head with both of her hands.

Marco glanced at Grace and saw what she was doing. He quickly held her hands down at her side. "I'm not angry." It was as if he read her mind! "You're a good angel, a great one. Yesterday _did_ happen and…" Marco stared into Grace's rosy eyes.

"…and…?" Grace asked, holding back a few tears.

"…and it was…um…s-sweet, I guess." Marco stuttered.

Grace slowly smiled. "It was… sweet." She giggled. "Sweet. My kiss was sweet."

Marco let Grace's hands go and turned around. He moved quicker to the school. "Yeah, sweet." Grace giggled again and could swear she saw him blush. "Do you need anymore closure? Or perhaps a signed contact saying it was sweet?"

Grace shook her head no. "Nope! I'm good." Her smile burned into her face, staying there for hours on end.

The two of them were standing on the abandoned dusty construction site that Marco and Grace had to cross to get to school. Precisely this is the fact what broke the atmosphere of this moment. Marco was getting close to Grace, and Grace was getting closer to Marco. Soon the two of them were head on head, looking straight into each other's eyes. Marco was going for it, when suddenly he heard a snapping sound from up above: A rusted steel beam was hanging from the iron-clad incomplete skeleton of the building. And the rope gave away, with a last sickening snap.

"Look Out!" shouted Marco, as he pushed Grace out of the way. The beam fell to the ground as Marco stared at it in a complete panic shock. The fall kicked up so much dust that it completely blocked Grace's vision, but one thing she did distinguish among the many shafts up top: A very familiar smirk.

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**(I): Remember ch3 of Pita-Ten anime?**


	4. The Other Two

**Disclaimer: Neither Misha12 nor OnixTales owns Pita-ten.**

**M-12: I own 'top angel' Grace "Aeres". Actually, Onix owns Grace's last name and Marco. ;)**

**OnixTales: I took the poem out of a song by Bacilos called "Guerras Perdidas". I don't own that... But I do own Marco García, Victor Sativa and the background characters of Tacubaya.**

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IV- The Other Two

The pinked haired girl, stood still on the moth-infested floor of the apartment. She knew this apartment well, though it was strange to her. It wasn't the same without its occupant. A scarred boy that had made her life feel fulfilled… and now he was gone. He had proven worthy of his life, still he faded away like the rippled reflection on a pond. She looked over his desk. And a little note stood out of the rest of the rummaged and crumpled papers. It was some kind of a poem, and it looked recent. Marco was a writer, and a very good one.

She noticed Marco's usual untidy scribble did not match this note: This was something written with care. At the beginning it said: _To Grace, the only person who has ever cared for me the most. _A little crystal tear sled through her cheek. She continued to read, and it went like this:

_Searching for words I realized,_

_That even what is logical is the most difficult._

_And little by little you get close_

_To the burning flame, and so it is I found you._

_See how my story gets riddled, and my time gets bent_

_And how I went blind over you and avoiding you._

_I believed my own lies and relived a lost war I lived._

_I was so dumb to trade the warmness of love_

_For any fire at all I could fight with._

_I took a suicidal flight,_

_Pink and black were my wings between_

_The ashes, and alike a moth_

_I search the light._

_You are my light…_

_**Tacubaya, Mexico City. 16 days earlier.**_

The fall kicked up so much dust that it completely blocked Grace's vision, but one thing she did distinguish among the many shafts up top: A very familiar smirk. _Oh, God, no. _Grace thought as she stared worriedly up at _him._ She immediately stood up out of new anger and ran into the dust cloud to search for Marco. "Marco! MARCO!"

She swatted the air around her and coughed. "Damn dust!" Suddenly, the angel got an idea. Grace concentrated and two huge, fluffy, white wings exploded out of her back and caused the dust to leave at an incredible speed. But before the very last bit could disappear, Grace's wings diminished so that no one would know. "Marco!?" She called.

"Grace!" Marco called when he caught sight of her. The shaft bent over his leg and trapped it like a metal jaw, The ground was splattered with crimson red blood, and Marco winced in the face of the momentary pain.

Grace immediately flipped around. "Marco!" A smile started to rise up on Grace's face, before she ran to him. "I was really scared! I'm the one that should be protecting you-!" She stole a good look at Marco. He didn't seem in pain, but… that huge dent in his leg proved Grace wrong. "OH MY GOD! MARCO!" Her smile instantly disappeared. "The beam broke your leg again!"

"It's fine." Marco winced in pain when Grace's hands barely hovered over his leg. "I'm fine, are you okay?"

Grace glared at the leg. "…" Her lips quivered. "Y-you idiot!" She shouted, causing Marco to wince of surprise, after all, he _did_ just save Grace's life. "You're hurt like this," Tears fell from her eyes, "a-and I didn't do a damn thing! I just stood there like a moron! You should've let me get squashed!" She held her hands up to her eyes.

Marco sympathetically stared at Grace and finally removed her hands from her face. Grace's face was stained with tears. "Grace, I'll be all right. I couldn't have let you die."

Grace glanced at the wreck area. "Moron, I would have been fine. If only it was me instead of you…" The tears started to fall again.

Marco hushed Grace. "Ssshh. Calm down. You are here for a reason, you can't fulfill that reason if you are trapped with a shaft on your leg."

Grace stared at Marco and laughed. "You're so calm about it! I don't believe this! Yes, you're right."

"Well, I your mission can't be carried out if you were to die." Marco reasoned calmly.

Grace tried to take her hands away from Marco's, but he held them firmly. "So if I didn't have a mission," She yanked, "you'd let me die?"

Marco yanked Grace's hands back. "Of course not, you idiot. Why do girls see the worst in situations and think that it's true? Is it a way of life? Besides, I would worry less about myself and put more attention to THAT."

Victor stood over the scene, smirking and clearly enjoying Marco's pain. He yanked the knife out of the iron beam that cut through the rope. He pointed the knife at Grace and gave her a kiss on the air. He grimaced once more and jumped into a heap on cement and started walking towards Marco and Grace, smiling like the devil itself. He held his knife high on the air and the streets were deserted: He meant serious business with him, and there was no one else to help either on of them.

Grace wanted with all her might to do something to Victor, but she couldn't. She knew that even she had enough power at her fingertips for him to die; she couldn't alter the world's order by murder. The situation was dire indeed.

"No, we can't help it. Why are some guys perverted?" Grace asked back.

Marco sighed. "Grace, I'm fine." Victor was getting closer by the second. Marco then said "We have to run, now." Grace stared at Marco's leg until he knew it. "…Yes, I may need a little help in doing so…"

Grace stared into Marco's eyes and waited for his grip to loosen. When it did, she stood up at incredible speed and ran about 10 feet away from him, so as to safely contact help. "I have to call someone; don't grab me while I'm doing said call."

Marco sighed and stared at his leg. Grace summoned a handheld computer and typed a message to someone and stared at Marco. He started to cautiously poke his leg. "ACK! MARCO! What _are_ you doing!?" She tossed the handheld computer into air and held Marco's hand down on the ground.

Marco grabbed both of Grace's hands. Grace glanced at both of her hands. "…You jerk. You're low, I can't believe you'd commit a stunt like that."

He laughed. "Grace, if you have not noticed yet; he's about to kill me."

Grace started to look a little pissed. "I'd slap you if I had a free hand."

Marco shrugged. "Nice to know."

Suddenly, a blinding pink and white light engulfed both Marco and Grace. Victor felt stunned again. All out of the blue, he began to feel every possible feeling at the same time, just like the first time he tried to maim the same guy. With a speed he didn't know he had, he ran away. The pink light flashed brighter than ever, and then disappeared as sudden as it came. And then, slowly fading into reality, two figures appeared among the dust: One was a little taller than the other and was a girl. The other was a boy. The boy had purple hair and was wearing a school uniform. The girl had long pink hair, like Grace's, but darker, and was wearing a pure, white gown that was a little translucent.

As the dust settled, Marco could see more of them: The girl looked very similar to Grace, irradiating the same angelic aura. The strange girl gasped when she saw Marco standing up perfectly, holding Grace's hands. "GRACE!" She smiled and hugged Grace's back. "I missed you, su!!"

Marco let go of Grace's hands in shock and stared at his leg. "Holy Guadalupe!" he shouted. He even poked it in disbelief. "Again? It's fixed again? This is getting weirder and…weirder."

"Hey," The purple haired boy walked up to him. From his looks, he was a little younger than Marco and certainly looked more childish than Marco was used to see in a boy his age. His whole appearance made look like a rich kid from a private school in Polanco. There was a saying in Tacuabaya that the kids didn't do pot, they did martinis. _I don't even know what a Martini is!_ He thought. "I'm Kotarou Higuchi. That's Misha." He said pointing to the girl that was smothering a struggling Grace with kisses. Marco puzzled over the boy's name. _Chinese… maybe?_ He asked himself.

Marco stared at the hyperactive angel that was over Grace. "I see… that's a Misha… Grace told me a bit about her. Thank God Grace came instead. I would've died a LOT sooner."

Kotarou smiled. "I know what you mean. Grace-san is a different kind of angel than the thing I had to survive. She tried to make me happy, but it did me more damage than help. In the end, though, Misha did her job perfectly…" he said, letting his speech fade away into thought.

Marco stared at Kotarou. He wasn't as naïve as Kotarou thought. "Dude… you want a girl that's way too older than you? That hyperactive chick and above all YOU don't belong here. Besides, that hyperactive squirrel-angel thing would murder me out of a hyperglycemic attack, seeing how she is."

"I'm sure you'd survive if I did." Kotarou laughed nervously. Marco's comment horribly embarrassed him. Marco just observed him, looking deeply disappointed. _He's not cut out for streets like this, just like that._ He thought.

Grace held Misha's hand and led her over to Marco. "Marco! This is Misha."

Misha smiled at Marco. "Hiya, Marco! The name's Misha! Nice ta meetcha!" She held out her hand and Marco hesitantly shook it._ This is getting better, just better._ He thought.

"Hi, Misha. I'm Marco Garcia." Marco glanced at Grace. "Grace, are they v-visiting?" He was afraid of the answer. Grace shook her head. "No…" He gasped. "…They're uh… Oh, Lord." Marco's voice cracked. "Another couple of Angels!!" he shouted "I have enough trouble looking out for you and then these people barge in!! I can't do this if they're staying as well!!"

Grace nodded. "KOTAROU'S NOT AN ANGEL!" Grace flustered. "Yes, Kotarou and Misha are here to stay." She smiled. "At least I won't be here all alone! I have Marco and now Misha and Kotarou! Oh, but it's too bad Shia couldn't come." Grace looked disappointed. "There's always tomorrow." Marco started to walk back to school and took Grace with him. "M-Marco?" She inquired and sighed when she didn't get her answer. "Bye, Misha, Kotarou! I'll see you two in class!"

After a long walk of silence, Marco spoke. "Grace," She turned her head, "this is dangerous. I don't want Misha or Kotarou going to our school, or even set foot into the neighborhood."

Grace smiled. "Oh, so now it's 'our' school?" She giggled.

Marco glared at her and she stopped. "I was using correct grammar for once." He snapped. "I'm being serious! If they were to come to this school, _they'd_ be eaten alive as well as you! You all ready caught Victor's eye! What if Misha does, too? I wouldn't be able to protect both of you. And Kotarou is a wishy-washy overgrown kid! What would happen to you two?"

Grace looked at him painfully. "Marco…we're angels, we'll manage."

"That excuse is getting really old, Grace!" He growled. "It's bad enough that Victor wants you, send Misha and Kotarou home! Call them back when we need actual help, like, a few minutes ago!"

Grace stared at the ground and continued to walk silently until they finally reached the school. Victor's bench was empty. The drowsy atmosphere and Marco's silence drived Grace into a state of deep thought. _Why is he so worried about others? _She wondered _Is this the guy I was sent here for? He doesn't deserve to die… maybe God made a mistake… NO! NO! He doesn't! Why does he must prove worthy of his life?. _

A loud noise broke into the classroom's dullness. Grace turned towards Marco, fearing the sound of a gunshot. Marco was completely unscathed, still not completely fine: He pointed at the front of the classroom, staggering and babbling nonsense. Grace turned to see what she was already used to see: Misha clinging to Kotarou's back, all dressed in the hideous school uniforms and Misha: "Everyone, niece to meetcha-suuuuuuuu!"

Grace turned again to see Marco. He seemed to have a complete lack of hope. "What am I going to do with these two?" He thought.


	5. The Nature of Thought

V - The Nature of Thought

**V - The Nature of Thought**

"_There is no difference whatsoever of what you live and what you think you live__... it is you who creates your universe, it's just that you're too lazy to do that. But don't blame on me the consequences of that…" –_ Heaven Record Facility.

"So, Kotarou…" called out Marco.

"Huh?" responded Kotarou, drifting out of his own personal thoughts.

"Are you going to keep that homesick kiddie attitude of yours?" Marco stated haughtily. "I don't have to remind you what happened today."

Kotarou only remembered it too well: As soon as the recess time began, he tried to go to the canteen to buy some food. He had stalled the line of other also hungry people, trying to explain why he had Japanese currency on him: Apparently, Misha had not thought of everything when taking Kotarou with her. Marco had to come to the rescue and spend his own pocket money on him. Another thing was the food: Kotarou was simply puzzled by the various types of food. There were no onigiri, or mako sushi, or anything of the thing he was used to. There were only some greasy things with chicken and cream folded in a weird "bread", covered with cream and cheese, among with another bizarre things.

Marco had to explain to him that this was typical food for a student called "chilaquile" and most of all, he had to eat it with his hands. Kotarou grimaced while trying to chew and swallow the strange food, only to vomit it a few minutes later on a girl that Marco knew as a "nopor" girl: Egocentric, self-centered and a proffesional drama queen. Marco again had to cover for him. Kotarou had just been thrown in a completely different atmosphere:

He grimaced every time someone belched loudly, he stuttered at the sight of self-defense knives and he shuddered at the sight of Victor Sativa. He obviously could see this from miles away. He just snickered at him, while a defenseless Kotarou just looked down.

_I knew he would be like a little stray puppy in a barn full of crazy cows, I warned Grace! A__nd that klutz of her girl Misha isn't any good either!_ Marco thought.

Misha had had a similar problem Kotarou had: She gulped down two cups of chile-atole, a very spice beverage. She also, trying to try out more randomly as long as her personality enables her to, rampaged through fourteen servings of chilaquile as she splattered Angry Red Sauce all over them… without even thinking of paying for them. Even Marco couldn't believe it, not even the boldest would even dare to eat that. It only took a few seconds for her to burst into tears because of the infierno developing in her stomach and to cry and mouth the air as if a beam of energy was coming out of her mouth, running around the grounds like crazy, shouting for water.

_They can't be helped, really… They're brood Japanese! It's not their fault. Still they should've learned a little more of my country before trampling here…_

"How are you going to do the assignment on the Chapultepec Castle?" Marco asked Kotarou. Kotarou looked more puzzled than ever.

"Geez, you didn't even care to take a little peek on a tourist guide?" Marco pouted.

The teacher had told them an hour before an assignment to do for the Holy Week vacation: A trip to the Chapultepec Castle and an analysis of the things in it. As of now, it served as the National Museum of History but it had quite a background along with it:

In ancient times, Chapultepec was revered as the hill where the Aztec god of rain lived, and everyone that got close would be thunderstruck. An Aztec governor built an aqueduct to supply the flourishing Tenochtitlan with water and named it Chapultepec meaning "grasshopper hill". After the Spanish conquest, it became the place for a church dedicated to Archangel Michael and then a century later a Spanish Viceroy named Count Galvez decided to construct a palace for himself and initiated the works to die just 3 years after he ordered the construction of the palace. After that, it layed forgotten until the Independence from Spain and the government finished the construction of the castle to serve as the headquarters of the Military Academy. After a lot of usages, it came to be the Museum of History…

Which is why it was the gang's destination. Since neither of them could afford a bus or a taxi, and it was too dangerous to ask for another classmate's lift (Kotarou, Grace and Misha attracted too much attention) the only way was to go through the subway, or "metro".

"Oh, that…" Kotarou pondered. "I don't have the slightest idea". Marco slapped his face. "You are clueless, aren't ya?" Marco plundered into his thoughts for a moment and then announced. "You'll do the assignment with me, and I expect you to be awake at 8 am so we can speed through the metro and make it to the museum on time. 'Kay?" Kotarou just nodded. "And me-su!" Marco jumped out of the surprise and turned to see Misha's radiant smile at barely half an inch from his nose. He staggered backwards as she shouted merrily "Wherever Kotarou-kuns, goes I'm there-su!"

Marco burst out in laughter. "You make a pretty matching couple! The ditz and the oblivious amoeba!" Kotarou frowned as Misha stared in a puzzled expression: She didn't know the meaning of these words. Marco stared for a moment into Misha's face to resume his cackling again. "What's the big joke?" Grace wondered as she came into the scene. Marco calmed down and said. "Nothing, Grace. It's just that this pair of stooges are giving me a good laugh… Besides," he sniggered "calling amongst themselves '-san' and '-kun' and '-su' is ridiculous. In Spanish it sounds completely crazy!"

Even though this story is written in English, one of the things that they all did care about is to emulate their language into Spanish through a spell. Spanish was the only language that Marco spoke, thus Grace's puns sounded the most hilarious word of them all. Try to imagine something like this in Misha's high pitched voice: "¡Quiero ir al baño-su!" or "I wanna go potty-su!". Enough said.


	6. A Message

VI – A Message

VI – A Message

There were times when reality tried to swim back into focus. When sounds rendered themselves and faded away. Grace tried to grab hold of them and pull herself into consciousness, but those excerpts of the world faded when she clenched them. Damnit! Grace thought Why I can't wake up?! She was floating on an endless void, with no up, down, left or right. It's as if I am lost in Misha's brain. She thought again. I wouldn't be surprised that all that is in her head is a sheet of paper with Kotarou squiggles. Grace tried to give herself courage with these thoughts, because she was absolutely terrified. It hadn't ever happened to her in the past, and this void was certainly unsettling. Shaking with fear, she gulped down some saliva, and stuck her left foot into the abyss, expecting to find a freefall.

But she didn't.

Instead, her footstep resounded with pristine echo through the room, and some kind of floor tile materialized in thin air. After discovering this Grace started to walk towards what she thought was some kind of wall, materializing floor within every step she took, the void never letting fall into the abyss. Then suddenly, a beam of light which origin was still hiding in the shadows cast a shadow upon an object sitting on a pillar in the middle of the room. Grace ran towards it. When she made her last step towards the pillar, the light suddenly expanded to show the whole room. When this happened, Grace was sent tumbling to the ground: The pillar, moving at an amazing speed, rammed her as if it decided to run towards her as how she ran towards it.

Grace rubbed her head as she stood up and finally looked at the object above the pillar: It was a beautiful half-cut orb which contained a clear liquid, like milk. She felt attracted to it. Before she could even notice, she was leaning on the pillar, with her forehead almost touching the strange substance. The suddenly, the tip of her chin rippled it.

Almost instantaneously, a strange force knocked her over and a pink light emerged from the orb, as the whole room rumbled like being in an earthquake. The pink light slowly condensed in a bright and white light. Then a powerful voice resounded:

"There isn't much time." It was a tiny bit of God.

"Almighty, what is this place?" Grace questioned a little more loudly than her intention.

"This is you." The Lord spoke, "This is where the real you dwells."

"The real me?" Grace wondered.

"Yes, it is your mind, so to speak. You did well a while ago, but time is slipping from your fingers."

Grace made an effort to remember, then everything came in a flash: The fight, Marco's red face, the train, the pain, the tracks, the chaos… "Well?! I'm unconscious and my client's presumably dead!"

"No, he and the others are okayK. Now, I have a message for you."

"Yes, Lord?"

"The gears of time are spinning out of control. As you already saw, the society where Marco García lives is now crumbling. This is could bring his death over him more early than planned…"

"What do you mean Lord?" She asked hestiantly, "He's going to die sooner?"

"It may be and it may not be, Angel Grace. It depends on your actions from now on. I am here to tell you this. Be careful, and if you are to fail… these will be the consequences."

Within a heartbeat, the pillar, the light and the room faded away, to be replaced with an image only Grace could see. It was Marco. But it was, at the same time, not him.

He was in fetal position, lying on a floor cold as ice. He was shivering. Suddenly, a number of shadow figures approached him, their eyes looking straight down at him like piercing through his heart. "Leave me alone! Leave me alone! Leave me alone!" he shouted repeatedly. Then a figure stepped into some kind of eerie spotlight. It resembled Grace, but she was still not her. The "other" Grace looked like pure evil, with eyes as black as death. She bent down as she muttered maliciously "You pathetic little creature, why don't I put you away from your misery?" Marco looked at her with a stare that spelled sheer fear. The "other" Grace delicately placed her hands on his neck and started to choke him. Grace's counterpart feasted on the sight of Marco agonizing. The "other" Grace then pierced his throat with a malicious smile. Marco's blood spluttered everywhere while she cackled madly.

MARCO! Grace thought in extreme terror. She was panic-stricken by the horrific scene. "NO!" The image started to flutter away as Grace desperately stretched out her hand to reach for it…

Then, a blinding light came to her sight. Suddenly, Marco's face was staring deep into her eyes, looking extremely worried. Is he worried for… me?

"Guys! She's finally up, Grace's up!" he shouted. Rapidly, Misha and Kotarou ran towards Grace. She saw their faces, looking relieved. "Are you OK?" he asked.

Grace stood up and said, "I-I wish I could say 'yes'…" Her voice quaked. What was that all about? She thought. And that girl that killed Marco… was me? I-I am the one that will…end Marco's life…?

A siren that resounded in the distance drifted Grace out of her thoughts. She looked her surroundings: The gang was out on the street, sitting on some kind of sidewalk above the path of the railroad where the subway wagon was supposed to cross. Down at the end, the path continued inside a tunnel. Grace could see the curled iron of the wagons that collided which each other, steam coming out of their overrun engines. A water pipe had broken in the turmoil and was now sprawling the liquid all over the scene. There were still no firefighters or anyone to attend to the matter.

"Guys, we have to move quickly." Kotarou called.

Surprised by this resolution, specially Kotarou being the one saying it. "Why-su?" Misha piped. "Isn't it obvious?" Marco shouted. "We just survived a huge subway crash. The wagons run on electricity and it's no time before the water starts filling the tunnel and the road. If we don't get away from here in time, we won't survive it." Marco stared into Kotarou's eyes. He was different from the namby-pamby he met days earlier. His yellowish eyes were staring back at him, speaking sheer concern. He was clutching Misha's arm, and his grip was tightening by the second.

"Let's move while we can." Kotarou said.

For Misha and Grace, everything happened too quickly.

Kotarou and Marco grabbed their respective companions and jumped towards the rail, in the side walk they were too close to the rusty barbwire that could mean fatality. As soon as they landed, both of them ran for it. "Stay away form the rails!" Marco shouted:

The engine's wires had already touched the water, jolting with unimaginable strength everything that the water reached for. The flood was advancing like a hungry predator for it's pray. And they were the prey.

Kotarou turned to Misha. I won't let this happen! He thought. He gripped harder, and with a strength that he didn't know he had, he ran faster than ever before. He didn't care if he got hurt or electrified. All that resounded in his head was Misha's safety. Misha flinched: Kotarou's clenched fist hurt her. Misha tried hard to help him, but she couldn't being so terrified. Every step she took made her realize again and again she was on the brink of whether the four of them could continue existing or not. She looked towards Marco and Grace: They were also making an effort. She looked again to Kotarou: He was also trying his best. I feel so useless! She thought. But the moment didn't let her muse over her traumas. She knew she had to do her best as well. I am an angel! I should be able to do at least something to solve this!

A despair that filled her was soon replaced with something she didn't experiment before: Courage.

"Grace-san! We are angels; we should use our wings-su!" Misha bellowed. "Are you crazy?! We are in the middle of the city! We can't fly with so many people!" Grace answered. Misha was surprised to hear this. Most of the times she was the reckless one.

Misha frowned and shouted. "I… DON'T… CARE!" She started to run faster, faster than Kotarou, Marco or Grace. I am the same as Marco-san, I can't believe in myself. That's why from now on, I stop being useless! Soon, Misha's wings sprouted out of her ragged blouse. Then, pulling Kotarou from the floor, she elevated at a vertiginous speed, decided to put Kotarou out of danger. Kotarou shrieked like an agonizing cat seeing the ground moving away from him quickly.

Grace took Misha's lead and joined her in the sky.

As soon as they stepped away from danger, Kotarou stopped screaming. He felt unnaturally calm. He looked into Misha's eyes. She's not always going to be there waiting for me to make move… on us. Kotarou thought. The four of us almost died, and I… couldn't help Grace-san… Kotarou looked towards Marco. He couldn't help but cackle: Marco was fighting Grace's grip on the neck of his coat, throbbing and shouting in a hoarse voice "Put me down! You're choking me! No, you're killing me!"

Grace tried to stay put shouting, "Sorry! AH! Stop squirming! Do you want me to drop you by accident!?"

The four of them flew a little lower to see where they were. They soon met another danger as they shouted in fright: They were hurtling towards the stone wall of the museum!


End file.
